LifeWise opens new headquarters in Hilliard

HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio-based Christian education organization on Friday celebrated the grand opening of its new building in Hilliard.

It has meeting spaces, offices, and a production studio. LifeWise operates a released time for religious instruction program. Students are enrolled with their parents' permission.

Then they are taken off the school grounds during the school day for religious education. There's been debate on whether these types of programs should be allowed.

LifeWise started in two Ohio schools in 2019. Now, it's in more than 30 states and, according to leaders, enrollment will be over 100,000 soon.

CEO Joel Penton said the new headquarters will mostly be used for training.

"Every month we have a cohort of new directors that come for an intensive two-day boot camp and with this training facility, it's going to enable us to serve larger and larger groups as well as more frequent groups," he said.

The headquarters is in what used to be the Aquatic Adventures Ohio building in Hilliard. LifeWise bought it in 2024 for nearly $3 million.